Rev Dr Phuveyi Dozo
Naga United Village
Identity of Nagaland includes religiously biblical heritage and faith with church buildings and sacred prayer centers with echoing and resounding sound, singings and preaching; naturally undefiled clean and holy mountains and sceneries; socially and culturally preserved indigenous cultural uniqueness; politically aspiration for self-determination; and constitutionally protection from infiltration, of original rights of the indigenous inhabitants, and inherited property.
It is high time to talk about “Who will be responsible to protect the Uniqueness of Nagaland and who will be responsible to destroy and sacrilege the beauty of Nagaland - Kohima to Mon and Noklak with Dimapur, Peren, Wokha, Zunheboto, Kiphire, and Phek with virgin Saramati, Japfu, Zanibu and Agunato mountains along with crystal clear water streaming in rivers, brooks and creeks, and smiling villages and communities across the land. The power that made Nagaland beautiful is the peaceful Gospel of the Prince of Peace. But Satan is jealous of the beauty and uniqueness of Nagaland.
The contentious Adversary comes in the form of infiltration of fundamental ideology, attraction of money and political camouflage and mask, rivalry and faction, and wave of secularism.
The uniqueness of Nagaland will not regrettably turn into irreparable history of no return if our responsible leaders conscientiously differentiate and walk away from the axe of felling, loaded and luring influence of fanatical doctrine to dislodge our uniqueness, and armed strategy of political scheme to detonate to disintegrate Naga beauty. In Nagaland context, BJP stands for ‘Baptized Jesus People’ for ‘Resilient Spiritual Service’ (RSS). Nagas loved Jesus that by the turn of 1990s most of the Nagas became the followers of Jesus because of His living power, Lordship and supremacy, and His loving kindness which was greatly admired by Mahatma Gandhi, the national father of India.
The Lord Jesus was tempted with all what the world could offer him. Defeated, Satan left Him. Where did he go? The tempter reappears with the same strategy where many faithful are deceived and swept away. The Naga church members are not free from the same subversive and sly methods used to deceive Jesus Christ. In right time the Gospel of the Lord Jesus came to us in fulfillment of historicity and prophecy, not a mythological speculation.
Upholding your Distinctiveness
Architects, forces and factors that will uproot and destroy the conspicuousness of Nagaland come in sneaky traps. Beware of the pretext of doctrine under the umbrella of secularism that will push the biblical faith out. It will be too late to return to your sanctity once noisy temples begin to stand alongside church buildings, rivers polluted with cremation, and fresh mountains and meadows crowded with scary images, idols and scarecrows. The saying goes, “Prevention is better than cure.” But it is relevantly “Prevention is better than which will be incurable.” May God help us to find leaders who will preserve and promote Naga quality, fulfill Naga aspiration, and faith in the living God!
The Lord of Heaven and Earth warns Nagas in general, and leaders and political candidates in particular to refrain from elements that are vulnerable to uproot the foundation of biblical faith. It will be a decisive moment for the Nagas on threshold of ‘Jesus or Barabbas’ (Matthew 27:21). For the believers, Christian faith and secular exercise are not a dichotomy but a totality. It means, a decision that pleases God must be upheld. Jesus is mocked and desecrated in past elections. He came to offer eternal salvation and not election money or political offer when he said “Everything shall be given to you when you seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). One vote makes a difference because it determines a person to lead and a party to govern and rule.
Road to ‘Well-done’
A manifesto that upholds Naga identity
Awareness of hidden seed of disintegration
Election that does not thwart your biblical faith
Voting for a candidate of a party democratically
Exercising the sanctity of your birthright
Upholding the principle of free and fair election
Overcoming revenge and rivalry which is victory.
The Bible tells us not to stumble people but honor and glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31). God bless Nagaland!
